Fabulous Fondue Fun!

All the makings for a fondue party, including a full fondue menu: for cheese fondue, meat & seafood fondue, chocolate fondue, and all the dips, sauces and dipper ideas! Plus tools required, timelines and tips & tricks! One stop fondue fun!

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Fondue anyone? What do you think of when you hear the word fondue? The first thought that enters my mind chocolate. Mmmm chocolate. Chocolate smothered strawberries and bananas…can’t you just taste them?! Don’t forget the cheese. The hot, gooey, delicious & rich melted cheese smothered bread chunks. Drool.

A couple of weeks ago the hubby & I hosted a fondue party and it was fuuuuuun! I wish I could show you a ‘Martha Stewart’ fondue party, complete with all the perfect invitations, menus, printables, and decorations but I don’t have em!

And the pictures. Gah. My camera is broken and I’m using my hubby’s camera which hates me. Plus, taking pictures at a party is the worst! It’s hard to take great photos when it’s dark, and you’ve got a glass of wine in your hand! Plus, you can’t exactly ask your guests to step aside so you can get the perfect shot! 😉

But you will get to see some fondue pots that are the real deal…I’m talking 1970’s real deal. Like fondue pots that made their rounds at the first fondues of our time. Now how’s that? Bet Martha doesn’t have these! And you will get a tonne of fabulous fondue recipes!

What you need for your fondue:

3 fondue pots (we used 4: one pot was for shrimp only)

Meat & Seafood Fondue: 1 pot for the oil – use an electric, stainless steel or cast iron pot for oil fondues. Make sure that the pot that you use for an oil fondue has a splash guard around the rim of the pot to prevent splashing.

Cheese Fondue: Use a ceramic fondue pot over a flame. We use gel fuel pots – you can find these at WalMart or any major grocery store.

Chocolate Fondue: Use a ceramic fondue pot over a tea light.

Fuel: tea lights, gel fuel pots and vegetable oil.

fondue forks – make sure you have at least 2 per person.

4 little bowls for dips & sauces (or you can use 8 dishes, and put a set of dips on either end of the table for easy access)

napkins, serving plates

Fondue Timeline:

Make your dips first. These are best made early in the day so the flavours in them can meld together.

Prep all your veggies. Wash & cut them up in to bite sized pieces. Again, this is best to do early in the day so you are all ready to go at fondue time!

Slice your meat. Do this early and put it in your fridge until dinner time.

De-thaw any seafood you are serving.

About an hour or so before your fondue party, you can roast any veggies that you plan on serving. They don’t have to be hot right out of the oven at fondue time. Most people like to warm them up in the cheese fondue or even the oil.

Now on to the food!

Dips & Sauces:

The general rule for fondue dips and sauces, is that there should be at least 3 different kinds. We served 4:

a cocktail sauce for the shrimp (store bought is great!)

a peanut sauce

a horseradish-dijon mustard dip

a Chimichurri sauce

Print

Peanut Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

3tbspfinely chopped onion

1clovegarlicminced

1/4teaspoondried hot red pepper flakes

1tspvegetable oil

3tbspwater

1 - 2tbspcreamy peanut butter

1tbsphoisin sauce

1tsptomato paste

3/4tspsugar

Instructions

In a small saucepan, cook the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in oil until soft, about 4 minutes.

Whisk in the remaining ingredients, and simmer while stirring, about 1 minute.

Cool.

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Print

Horseradish and Dijon Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

1cupsour cream

6tbspprepared horseradish

1tbspDijon mustard

Course salt & freshly ground paper

Instructions

Stir sour cream, horseradish, and mustard in a small bowl.

Season with salt and pepper.

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Print

Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

1/2cuppacked fresh parsleychopped

1/2cuppacked fresh cilantrochopped

4clovesof garlicminced

1/2cupolive oil

1/4cupred wine vinegarwhite wine vinegar works well too

1tspdried oregano

1/2tspred pepper flakes

1/2tspsalt

1/4tsppepper

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients together, and let sit for at least 2 hours.

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Dinner Fondues:

Print

Meat Fondue

Ingredients

sirloin steakcut into strips

shrimp

chunks of chicken

Instructions

Fill your fondue pots 1/2 - 2/3 full with vegetable oil.

Turn on the heat, and when the temperature reaches around 350 - 365 degrees it's ready to cook in.

Dippers for Cheese Fondue:

Instructions

Before you get your fondue pot hot, rub the inside of it thoroughly with the cut garlic halves, then thrown them out.

Pour the wine into the fondue pot, and place over medium-low heat. (See notes)

When the wine starts to bubble, add the cheese by the handful, stirring until melted and combined.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with lemon juice until the cornstarch dissolves, then stir the mixture into the cheese mixture.

Continue whisking the cheese mixture until it is smooth and bubbling slightly.

Serve immediately.

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Dessert Fondue:

Print

Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients

1lbsemisweet chocolate

2cupsheavy cream

Chocolate Fondue Dippers:

strawberries

bananas

chunks of pineapple

chunks of white cake

marshmallows

Instructions

On your stove, place a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.

Add the chocolate and cream.

Using a wooden spoon, stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is creamy and smooth.

Once it's smooth, transfer the chocolate mix to a fondue pot, and set over a warming candle like a tea light. See notes.

Serve immediately.

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Fondues really are such a fun time! I dare anyone not to have a great time dipping and cooking their food. It makes for great conversation and good times! They make for great romantic dinners too…maybe even this Valentines Day. Just sayin’

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20 Comments

ReplyMelanieFebruary 7, 2013 at 4:48 PM
Now how fun is that?! I absolutely love fondue - both the cheese and the chocolate ones. But I don't have any fondue pots! I think I should start looking for them in Goodwill when I go. :-)

ReplyAliFebruary 7, 2013 at 4:48 PM
YUM!!!! I love fondue! Your pots are awesome! Josh and I had fondue in France and it was gooooood! We also had it a friend's house in Switzerland and it was the best we ever had. SO yum and such a fun novelty type meal :)

ReplyStephanie @ henry happenedFebruary 7, 2013 at 8:14 PM
this looks so good! I almost hosted a fondue party last weekend but it got turned into a superbowl party instead. still that chocolate is calling my name!

ReplyRoseFebruary 8, 2013 at 6:57 AM
Fun and appetizing. Looks so good! If you receive a fondue set as a gift be sure to invite the gifter to enjoy with you as they will delight in seeing you use their gift.

ReplyElizabethFebruary 9, 2013 at 4:02 PM
Oh geez, when I hear the word fondue, I'm transported back to the seventies and fonduing with my family!
I still have the ol' pot; you've inspired me to dust it off!

ReplyCaroline CsakFebruary 9, 2013 at 5:16 PM
Fondues take me back to being a young girl in the UK in the 70's. For our birthdays, my sister and I and our best friends, also sisters, would go ice-skating at the ice-rink in Bristol, and come home for a fondue dinner. Four times a year, for I don't know how many years...
Needless to say we weren't very good skaters - hence my limited abilities out on Lake Bonavista now. I can go forwards, but don't ask me to look at any of the fancy houses because I have to keep my eyes on the ice - those cracks are lethal for one of my skill level!!

ReplySueOctober 26, 2014 at 7:50 AM
I found your site after I googled "fondue dinner". We fondue more often than the average Minnesotan and I was looking for some new ideas. Love your recipe for the Horseradish & Dijon Mustard Dip and the Peanut Sauce. Both were a hit. Even with my husband who is the fussiest eater alive. He thought the peanut sauce was "really nice". That is the ultimate compliment!

ReplysherryJanuary 20, 2016 at 1:51 PM
What a relief to find your blog! I am hosting a fondue party in three days, and it was on my "to do list" to complete the menu today. You did all the work for me!!!! Love the printable recipes, and the pictures. I am giddy with excitement over finding this! Thanks!

ReplyJo-Anna@APrettyLifeJanuary 20, 2016 at 2:34 PM
This makes me SO happy! Fondues are so fun...I hope you have a delicious time!

ReplyJanDecember 30, 2016 at 4:31 PM
I have 12 coming for a fondue dinner. How much beef, chicken, & shrimp do I buy per person? Do we cook the raw meat (chicken & beef) in the same broth or oil?